'When Will You Get Married?', Farooq Abdullah’s Conversation With Female Reporter Creates Stir, Women Members Of NC Defend Party President

The raging debate over social media has erupted after the video of the conversation between former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah with a female journalist went viral on social media. 

Abdullah, the veteran National Conference president, who has also been a Union Minister, has been accused of being “misogynist” and “chauvinist” after the video of him being in conversation with a female reporter has been widely shared on social media platforms. 

About Abdullah's conversation with the reporter

In the purported video clip, Abdullah was seen asking the female reporter, “When will you get married? Did you choose your husband? Will your parents choose your husband for you?”

As the conversation continued, Abdullah was also heard asking, “Why is this (Mehandi) on your hands?”, to which, the female reporter answered, “It was my elder brother’s marriage!”

Carrying on with the conversation, Abdullah continued getting personal and asked, “So will his wife stay with him for few days or leave him?”

Showing an unusual and uncomfortable amount of interest in the reporter's personal life, Farooq was again heard asking,“Did you get married?”, to which the female reporter replied, “Sir I am very young right now.”

Dr Farooq further said, “Beware of who you marry. Who knows he would be roaming around with women and you would have no idea!” In the background, voices of men laughing can be heard.

Responses on social media

The widely shared video drew ire of several politicians on social media as the political opponents of Dr Farooq left no stone unturned to lambast him.

BJP leader and party’s IT incharge Amit Malviya said, “Farooq Abdullah, I.N.D.I Alliance veteran and father of ever pontificating Omar Abdullah, is at his abominable best. If there was ever a case of making workplace uncomfortable for women, then this is it. The reporter is perhaps his grand daughter’s age or younger. But that doesn’t stop him from asking uncomfortable questions…Disgusting to say the least.”

Another BJP leader and the BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said,  “Not just Unprofessional but deeply misogynistic. Extremely disgusting. But not surprising from an alliance that boycotts journalists who ask questions & treats them like this.”

In Kashmir, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu also criticized Dr Farooq saying, “We take this nonsense lightly and often attribute this to Dr. Sahab’s ‘dynamism’ but had this happened anywhere else and been done by anyone else — it would rightly be called out and condemned as sexism/harassment. Alas, the more things change, the more they remain the same.”

However, it was the young turks of the National Conference party interestingly women herself, who started the counter-attack against the trolling of their “Quaed” leader Dr Farooq.

Particularly, Ifrah Jan, NC’s social media incharge and Bismah Meer, party’s senior media analyst who defended their leader.

Terming the entire incident as 'fake news', the young members of the party called the attack against their 86-year-old party president “malicious”.

“Farooq Sab is a true guiding light in my life. I'm forever grateful. His wisdom & guidance have shaped me into who I am today. I'll always be loyal & respectful, honoring the lessons he has imparted. Blessed to have such an incredible role model,” Bismah wrote, while sharing the clip.

The two defending members got a shot in the arm when the female reporter herself tweeted about the video clip, saying: “This was amazing conversation with Farooq Abdullah Sab. He always treats me like a daughter. Media organisations and Social media handlers are requested to not make fun.”

“Is a touch/comment a joke or indecency? The WOMAN gets to decide. (based on her relationship with the person in question). And the woman has CLEARLY SPOKEN. Political vultures should shut up and find something else now,” Ifrah wrote.

Talking to Outlook, Ifrah said: “ A comment can be termed as harassment or a friendly joke. But who gets to determine this distinction? The woman in the question. I, as a woman, may be okay with my uncle asking me when I plan to get married, but I may not be okay with my work colleague doing the same. So the relationship the woman has with the person, her comfort level is what determines whether the comment was okay or not.”

She further added, “Here the woman has clearly stated that she shares a father-daughter relationship with Doctor Sahab and she enjoyed the conversation. Please tell me, does this woman not have the agency to determine what is right for her? Or are some people acting as supra-patriarchs going to tell her...”

Targeting BJP, Ifrah said, “And people, especially BJP members that have been at the forefront of releasing Bilkis Bano’s rapists, rallying in support of ministers accused of molesting our women sports champions, they, of all people, do not get to be our allies.” 

Adding a cultural context, Ifrah said,"In India, it is a common thing for our parents and grandparents generation to ask young people about their marital status, and in a way nudge them to tie the knot.”